the student services assessment institute (ssai): creating a culture of assessment through...

The Student Services Assessment Institute (SSAI): Creating a Culture of

Assessment through Professional Development

Kim Black, Ph.D.

Stephanie Torrez, M.A.

University of Northern Colorado

Workshop Goals Workshop Goals

• Introduce Student Services Assessment Institute (SSAI)

• Show how professional development model can be adapted to other institutions

• Provide tips, strategies, and resources

Workshop OutcomesWorkshop Outcomes

• Participants will be able to recognize institutional challenges and barriers to successful implementation as well as strengths that can be used to adapt the model to their campus.

• Participants will be able to identify essential components of effective professional development on assessment.

• Participants will develop a project outline for adapting the training model to their campus.

HistoryHistory

• Needs Assessment Self study and pilot study

• What do you know about how assessment is being used in student services on your campus?

• What information about how assessment is being used is missing, and how could you find it?

Student Services Assessment InstituteStudent Services Assessment Institute• Support from campus leadership

FinancialCollaboration

• Research and best practicesCohort model (Joyce & Showers, 1996)Hands-on participatory learning (Milstein & Krueger,

1997)

• Curriculum design (Green, Jones, & Pascarell, 2003)

SSAI ModelSSAI Model

• Monthly 2-hour workshopsTopics range from developing outcomes to

understanding survey methods

• Instruction• In-house faculty and staff expertise

• Assessment projects• Hands-on, supervisor approved

SSAI Model (cont.)SSAI Model (cont.)

• Individual consultationsProvided by assessment staff

• Communication with supervisorsFace-to-face and via email

• Videotaped sessionsCDs available for each session

Institutional ChallengesInstitutional Challenges

Budget

Organizational structure

Small assessment staff

Limited use and application of assessment

Institutional StrengthsInstitutional Strengths

Assessment and professional development offices

Understanding of campus needs Support from leadershipIn-house expertisePartnershipsPassion for doing right by students

Small Group DiscussionSmall Group Discussion

• What are some of the challenges you might encounter at your institution?

• What are institutional strengths you can capitalize on?

Take 10

Essential Components • Curriculum & Pedagogy

Curricular Model

Program Delivery

Experiential Learning

Celebration & Recognition

• Program LogisticsCohort

Collaboration

Institutional Support

Structure

Budget

Take 10

SSAI CurriculumSSAI Curriculum

• Practical, applied knowledge

• Organized around 4 questionsWhat do we need to know?Why does it matter (the so what)?Where can we find support?How do we apply what we learned?

Sample WorkshopsSample Workshops

• Workshop 1: Assessment Data: Collection, Interpretation, Utilization, and Dissemination

• Workshop 2: Data-Driven Decision Making

Assessment DataAssessment Data

• What do we need to know?Types of data availableDemystifying use of dataWhen to use existing data and when to collect

new dataHow to decide what collection method to use

Assessment Data (cont.)Assessment Data (cont.)

• Why does it matter?Garbage in, garbage out – good data is

essentialMake it count – limited resources for

collecting and analyzing dataMake your case – good data leads to good

decision making for budgets, program sustainability, and student outcomes

Assessment Data (cont.)Assessment Data (cont.)

• Where can we find support?Departmental resources (work study students,

graduate assistants, in-house experts)Institutional resources (institutional research,

faculty experts, assessment staff)External resources (research literature,

professional associations)

Assessment Data (cont.)Assessment Data (cont.)

• How do we apply what we learned?Exploring the data universe (individual and

group activity)Solving sample assessment questions (group

activity)• Example – Why are participation rates in

previously high-demand activities lower this year?

Data-Driven Decision MakingData-Driven Decision Making

• What do we need to know?Types of data availableWhat people know/don’t know Opportunities for sharing dataStrategies for making data meaningful

Data-Driven Decision Making (cont.)Data-Driven Decision Making (cont.)

• Why does it matter?Increases confidence in practiceExpands perspective Informs big decision making/daily practiceExpands opportunities for collaborationPromotes opportunities to discover the ‘so

what?’Strategic planning

Data-Driven Decision Making (cont.)Data-Driven Decision Making (cont.)

• Where can we find support?Reporting unitsInstitutional ResearchInstitutional dataOther units on campusNational School Reform FacultyBook: A Facilitator’s Book of Questions, by

David Allen & Tina Blyth

Data-Driven Decision Making (cont.)Data-Driven Decision Making (cont.)

• How do we apply what we learned?Data Driven Dialogue

• An activity that is valuable for making meaning of a large set of data. Need more than an hour to complete.

Nugget Exercise• An activity that uses sound bites of data to introduce the

participants to reflective dialogue about the data.

• Can be used during staff meetings as an opening or closing

activity.

Workshop Session IdeasWorkshop Session Ideas

• Based on your campus needs and the characteristics of your cohort, what are some potential workshop topics you might consider?

• Who on your campus could develop and deliver training on these topics?

Assessing the SSAIAssessing the SSAI

• Document analysisAssessment projects

• Participant focus group

• Supervisor interviews

• Program evaluations

• Observations

How will you assess your How will you assess your training program?training program?

Future DirectionsFuture Directions

• Where UNC is going from hereAdd new cohorts to attain critical massIntroduce program review to student services

programsPosition UNC for next regional accreditation

Contact Us

Kim Black, Ph.D.

Director of Assessment

University of Northern Colorado

Greeley, Colorado 80639

(970) 351-1102

kim.black@unco.edu

Stephanie Torrez, M.A.

Executive Director, Academic Support and Advising

University of Northern Colorado

Greeley, Colorado 80639

(970) 351-2812

stephanie.torrez@unco.edu